Teeth protector



Feb. 23, 1954 H, CARPENTER 2,669,988

TEETH PROTECTOR Filed May 8, 1951 Patented Feb. 23, 1 954 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

TEETH PROTECTOR Victor E. Garpenter, Boston; Mass.

' Applicatio 8, 1951, Seria No. 225,155

2 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to a protective device to be inserted between the upper and lower teeth of a patient who is to be given an electric shock treatment. Treatments of this kind usually are accompanied by severe convulsiv paroxysms including a clenching of the teeth with such force that it frequently happens that some of them are broken. As such seizures usually last for three to four minutes, it is desirable that the patients breathing be uninterrupted during the treatment.

It is an object of the invention to provide an effective cushion between the upper and lower teeth Without interfering with the breathing of the patient. For this purpose I may provide a molded member of resilient material such, for example, as soft vulcanized rubber, similar in some respects to the protector shown and described in my Patent No. 2,521,039. According to the present invention, the web which serves as a cushion between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws is of maximum thickness at its extremities, and a rigid tubeextends through the web at its mid point to furnish a non-collapsible duct through which the patient can breathe during a treatment.

For a more complete understanding-f the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of which Figure 1 is a plan view of a protector embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 2 Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of the protector; and

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 1, showing the protector in a position for use.

The protector embodying the invention consists of two parts, that is, a molded body portion l0 through which projects a tube l2. The body portion is preferably a molded plastic member of suitable cushion material such, for example, as soft vulcanized rubber. The member ID consists of a U-shaped web or cushion M which is adapted to be clamped between the teeth of the upper and lower jaws when the device is in place for use and is of suflicient length to underlie allthe teeth of the upper jaw and to overlie all the teeth 2: of the, lower jaw. web, as. indicated, in Figure. 6, varies in thickness from a minimum at its midpoint to a maximum thickness at its extremities. Thus the rear portions of the web H! are first engaged by the molars so as to hold the jaws separated and thus to prevent injury to the teeth by making it impossible for the teeth to strike together when the jaws are clenched by a convulsive paroxysm. To maintain the cushion or web H1 in its effective position between the upper and lower teeth, the web is provided with inner and outer flanges which extend upward and downward from the margins thereof to bear against the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth and adjacent gums. Thus from the inner margin of the web a flange 20 projects upward and a flange 22 projects downward. In like manner, from the outer margin of the web H, a flang 24 projects upward and a flange 26 projects downward, all of these flanges being preferably molded integrally with the web itself.

The convulsive clenching of the teeth and jaws of a patient undergoing an electric shock treatment is usually of great intensity so that unreinforced air holes extending through the web from the inner face to the outer face thereof, as in the protector shown in my Patent No. 2,521,039, would be pinched shut or so nearly shut as to interfere with the breathing of the patient. According to the present invention, the rigid tube I2 is extended through the web M at th midpoint thereof, this tube being preferably of an oval cross section so as to provide sufiicient capacity without excessive vertical diameter. The tube may be made of non-corrodible metal or other material of sufiicient strength and stiffness to withstand considerable pressures without collapsing. As indicated in Figures 4, 5, and 8, the portion of the tube which is surrounded by the material of the member Ill may be flattened and widened slightly as at 32. Both ends of the tube are preferably open to permit free flow of air therethrough. In addition, one or more lateral holes 34 and 36 are provided in the tube near the inner end thereof so that if the inner end of one of the holes should be blocked by the tongue of the patient, air can readily flow through the unobstructed apertures. The inner portion of the tube I2 is preferably curved downward as indicated in Figure 8 and extends far enough in from the body member [0 to receive upon the tongue and assist in holding the tongue member down.

I claim:

1. A teeth protector comprising a molded soft rubber member adapted to be received between the jaws to keep the teeth of the lower jaw separated from the teeth of the upper jaw, said member consisting of a U-shaped web of sufficient length to underlie all of the upper jaw and to overlie all the teeth of the lower jaw, and flanges along substantially the entire length of said web extending up and down therefrom to bear against the inner and outer sides of said jaws when the protector is in place, and a rigid tube of oval cross-section extending through said web at its mid point, said tube having a portion projecting forward from said web and a portion projecting rearward and curving downward to serve as a tongue depressor when the protector is in use.

2. A teeth protector comprising a unitary body member of soft vulcanized rubber molded to shape, said member including a U-shaped Web adapted to be engaged between all the teeth of the upper jaw and all the teeth of the lower jaw, said web increasing in thickness from its midpoint to its extremities, said member also having inner and outer flanges extending up and 4 down from the inner and outer margins of said U-shaped web to bear against inner and outer surfaces of the teeth and gums when the protector is in place, and a rigid tube of own cross section extending through said U-shaped web at its midpoint to serve as a non-collapsible air duct, said tube being open at both ends and having lateral apertures adjacent to its inner end.

7 V VICTOR H. CARPENTER.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ,270,565 Teter June 25, 1918 r 1,498,810 Poe June 24, 1924 2,483,157 Singer Sept. 27, 1949 2,521,084 Oberto Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 669,841 Germany Jan. 5, 1939 

